1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an adapter for converting a single electrical outlet or current tap to a multiple electrical outlet, such as those used in household and light commercial and industrial applications.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A number of different types of single-to-multiple electrical outlet adapters or current taps are known. There are, for example, the current taps illustrated and described in U.S. Pat. Nos.: 2,792,561; 2,702,893; 3,061,716; 3,997,225; 4,085,996; 4,934,962; 2,706,225; 3,484,735; 3,525,971; 4,934,962; and 5,122,082.
In a tap of the type illustrated in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,934,962 and 5,122,082, the electrical contacts are formed by pods assembled in the housing or on the back plate. Each pod contains multiple contact strips which must be individually wired with the appropriate prong. Moreover, each strip must include a contact blade located in the pod to facilitate electrical connection. The assembly operation includes several soldering operations and numerous other operations involving the correct placement of subassemblies into the current tap housing before and during final assembly. As a result, the labor cost associated with manufacturing such taps is relatively high. This assembly cost is associated with each tap, making the purchase price of such taps higher than it would be if another suitable design could be developed.